9 Crowdfunded Solar Powered Gadgets: Where Are They Now?

LuminAID Inflatable Solar Powered Light

Launched on IndieGoGo in 2011, this little gadget addressed a dire need in the developing world and for disaster relief -- a light that is waterproof, portable, rechargeable by the sun, and one that has long-lasting components. The campaign's goal was for $10,000 in funding, but they reached that figure in just one week, and LuminAID ended up raising over $51,000! One key component to the campaign was the "Give Light, Get Light" model, which allowed backers to pledge for one light to be donated and then receive one in return.

After a year, LuminAID is still going strong:

"The donated lights from the campaign are bringing light to orphanages in Haiti and India. Students are using the lights in rural Laos, Tanzania, and India to study at night. The LuminAID lights are being distributed by women entrepreneurs in Uganda and are being used in a vocational training school in Rwanda to help women learn to sew. There is even a young girl named Zemene who is distributing lights to her family and friends in her village in Ethiopia."

And according to their site, they've also sold out two different runs of lights and have grown their reach through strategic partnerships and collaborations with international distributors.